It has become a typical Philippine healthcare setting to see patients waiting at the doctor’s clinic for hours at a time.
But the creators of a newly-launched mobile application called “HiDok” will change all that, according to a recent report.
The team saw an existing problem with the traditional clinical setup and thought of addressing the problem by using a technology-based solution.
The problem starts when patients go to the hospital without prior knowledge of what time the doctor will be coming in.
Instances happen wherein patients would come to Davao City from different provinces but would discover that the doctor is not there upon arrival.
With HiDok, patients will be able to book an appointment with their physician beforehand. Patients can view the availability of the doctor and their estimated time of arrival (ETA).
This removes the need to physically fall in line and wait for their turn. Moreover, patients can select from a choice of specialists located in different hospitals.
The app provides the patients with added convenience and a more efficient use of their time.
Furthermore, the app is beneficial for the doctors as well. It not only improves the visibility of the doctors to patients who are seeking specialists, but also it serves as an organisational tool.
The physician will be able to access remotely the schedule of their patient appointments for the day.
In the traditional way, doctors who are doing their hospital rounds or those at home have no idea of how many patients are lined up to see them at their clinic.
The app aids them as they no longer need to phone their secretaries to confirm appointments. In addition, being able to provide an ETA at the clinic also helps to build trust with patients.
Since its launch last 28 September 2018, the founders have signed up 150 doctors in Davao City alone.
The aim is to include more than a thousand physicians and is actively marketing to healthcare providers in other areas of the country such as Cagayan, Zamboanga, Cotabato, and soon, Metro Manila.
The founders of the app are nurses by educational background but entrepreneurs by real-world training.
To facilitate the app development, they hired an IT team. The members, of which, also enjoy a profit-sharing scheme within the company.
The two founders envision HiDok as a solution that operates on a similar principle as ride-hailing apps but for the medical sector.
The founders offer their product at no cost to the user because they want their business to initially focus on achieving product awareness.
They have a long-term plan and several technological features in the pipeline, which they want to build towards once product adoption is ripe.
Some of these added features will potentially become revenue-generating streams for HiDok. One example is their electronic medical record feature (HiDok EMR).
If the doctor subscribes to this specific service, he or she can access the patient information storage system and provide paperless consultations.
According to the founders, the response of the Davao medical community to the app has been overwhelming.
In the next 12 months, they say users across the country should expect new features that can connect patients to doctors and doctors to other doctors and ultimately improve patient experience.